Interchangeable letter sign



March 10, 1959 B. A. wAcHTER 2,876,571

INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER SIGN VFiled Feb. 25. 1957v INVENTOR. I

' .5.5. wacher .4 TTYS United States Patent C INTERCHANGEABLE LETTERSIGN Bertram A. Wachter, Sacramento, Calif.

Application February 2s, 1957, serial No. 642,104

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-143) This invention relates to signs of theinterchangeable letter type; the major object being to provide a sign ofthis general type so constructed that different letters may be easilyand quickly attached, removed, or replaced on the base panel of thesign, without the use of any tools.

This sign comprises a base panel and a number of sign-forming letters orother symbols separate from the panel, and ano'.her object of theinvention is to construct the paneland the letters-so that letters ofdifferent sizes may be mounted on the panel without having to make anychanges on the latter.

Also, the letter mounting or attaching features of the panel and lettersare arranged so that the letters may be disposed at different levels onthe panel, or in different arrangements relative to each other, withoutany change in the basic construction of the panel being necessary.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an Y interchangeableletter sign which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a practical andreliable interchangeable letter sign, and one which will be exceedinglyeffective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims. r

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of my improved sign aspreferably constructed. j

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 2--2 ofFig. l1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end or edge elevation of a sign letter, detached.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the charactersof reference marked thereon, the sign comprises a base panel 1 of anydesired size, and here shown as being made of plastic material.

The panel is corrugated in a vertical direction throughout its heightand length, so as to form ridges 2 and intermediate troughs 3.

Cut into the ridges are longitudinal rows of open-ended slots 4, thedepth of which is such that the bottom edge 5 of the slots is above thebottom of the troughs, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the panel as a wholeis not unduly weakened. As many rows of slots as may be desired areprovided in the panel, all such rows being parallel to each other andevenly spaced apart, and the spacing between adjacent slots is less thanthe length of any slot.

The various sign symbols 6, such as letters, numerals, or indicia of anytype which go to make up the sign are constructed of relatively stiffbut somewhat resilient material. A suitable grade of plastic ispreferably used for the purpose, since this material lends itselfadmirably ICC height as to employ three such webs, the spacing betweenadjacent ones of which is a multiple of the spacing'between adjacentrows of slots 4.

The length of each web7 is at least as great as that of any one slot,and-depending on the configuration of the symbolsmay be-sutlci'ent tospan a number of slots, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the possibility oflateral teetering is minimized. The depth ofthe webs is somewhat greaterthan the depth of the 'slots from the top of the panel ridges 2 to thebottom edge 5 of the slots, so that the symbols-when the webs are fullyseated in the slots in engagement with the bottom edge thereofaremaintained in spaced relation to the upper or outer surface of thepanel, as is desirable. Since the edge 5 of each slot is in the form ofseparated portions, it is not necessary that the bottom edge of the websbe perfectly straight in order to avoid the undesirable lateralteetering of the symbols.

In any symbol, whether provided with two or three webs, the top andbottom webs are set at a slight acute angle less than 9() degrees to theadjacent face of the symbol, as indicated at A in Fig. 4; said websbeing disposed in opposed angular relation to each other, as shown. Theintermediate web 7a, if three webs are used, is however set at degreesto said face of the symbol.

This web arrangement enables the top and bottomi webs of any symbol tohave wedging engagement in the slots 4 after the symbol is initiallydeflected to dispose each angled web in turn so that it is parallel tothe corresponding slot (or slots) before being projected into the same.A firm holding engagement of the webs in the slots is thus assuredwithout the necessity of cutting the slots with the extreme widthaccuracy otherwise necessary to assure a proper hold of the webs in theslots.

Although the corrugated type of panel is preferably employed, otherpanel configurations may be used as long as the necessary repeated highand low portions are provided, as is required for the provision of thespaced slots without cutting through and destroying the unitary natureof the panel. i

The panel, being provided with a plurality of rows of slots, spaced asdescribed with respect to the spacing of the webs of the symbols,enables said letters to be set at different levels on the panel relativeto a longitudinal edge of said panel or to each other, as may be desiredto provide different symbol alinement or arrangement on the panel.

The slots being open-ended, the symbols 6 are not restricted in theirspacing relative to each other when mounted on the panel.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the lobjectsof the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is The height of 1'claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired: Y

l. A sign comprising a base panel formed with alternating high and lowareas, there being a plurality of parallel rows of slots extendinglengthwise of the panel cut in the high areas and extending the fullwidth thereof so as to be open-ended but having solid bottom portions, aplurality of sign symbols separate from the base and from each other,and a pair of webs projecting from the back of each symbol lengthwisethereof and spaced vertically thereon to correspond to the spacing ofcertain ones of the rows of slots; the width and depth of the webs beingsuch as to enable the same to tit snugly into the slots and to engagethe bottom portions thereof.

2. A sign comprising a base panel having longitudinally spacedcorrugations extending vertically of the panel and providing alternatingridges and troughs along the panel, longitudinal parallel rows of spacedslots being provided in and extending across the ridges for their fullwidth whereby the slots are open-ended but include solid bottomportions, a plurality of sign symbols separate from the panel and fromeach other, and a pair of webs projecting from the back of each symbollengthwise thereof and spaced vertically thereon to correspond to thespacing of certain ones of the rows of slots; the width of the websbeing such as to enable the webs to fit snugly into the slots, thelength of any web being at least as great as the length of any slot andthe length of the slots is greater than that of the spacing betweenadjacent slots.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,163,750 Grant Dec. 14, 1915 1,706,957 Corbitt Mar. 26, 1929 2,610,423Martin Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,740 Great Britain Mar. 10, 190019,946 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1895 27,005 Great Britain Feb. 26, 1898 of1897 1,103,062 France May 18, 1955

